The Ghost of Cramer’s Island

By Linda Cline

Originally published as Weakfoot

Copyright 1975

You might say it’s obvious that I have a profound love of books and reading.  That’s quite true.  You might think I would naturally choose a spouse with the same passion for literature.   You would be very wrong.  It has become a running joke that The Ghost of Cramer’s Island is, in Mike’s opinion, the best book ever written.  That’s because it is the only book he ever remembers truly enjoying and one of the handful of fictional works he’s ever read.  It was his go-to book each year in grade school for book reports.  Pictured here is his original copy and it is obviously well-loved.  After hearing about this book for the past 30 years, I finally broke down and decided to read it.  

I can see why Mike likes it since the story is based on what his actual passions are:  the outdoors, adventure, survival skills, and animals in the wild.  A dangerous panther lives and hunts deep in the swamp on Cramer’s Island and Lonny comes face to face with it one day.  Lonny thinks Weakfoot is the most dangerous and fearful creature in the swamp.  When a fugitive kidnaps Lonny he finds out how wrong that assumption is.  Held captive for months by this wild fugitive, the two eventually form a bond and learn from and help each other.  Lonny learns survival skills while his kidnapper learns that people really do sometimes need each other.  

I have to admit, I did enjoy this book.  Yes, it is exciting and action packed.  It’s more than that, though.  The lesson is clear.  Lonny faced life-threatening situations and at first thought of himself as a coward for being afraid.  Over the course of his trials and adventures, he learns the truth: being afraid does not make a person a coward.  As his pa tells him, “I reckon being afraid is as natural as being sad, or happy, or crying or laughing.”  What an important life lesson for every child to learn!

So anyway, it’s perfectly fine with me that Mike does not share my interest in books.  That allows him more time to build me bookshelves!